Having practically been ruled out for the entire season at one point, Michael Porter Jr said on Friday that there’s a good chance he could return to action for Mizzou before the end of the college season. The 6-10 forward suffered a back injury in November that required surgery. More from NBC Sports: “To me and […]

Having practically been ruled out for the entire season at one point, Michael Porter Jr said on Friday that there’s a good chance he could return to action for Mizzou before the end of the college season. The 6-10 forward suffered a back injury in November that required surgery.

“To me and how I feel right now, there is a good chance,” Porter said. “I think the doctors are going to be amazed at my progress.”

Porter has been cleared to return to practice after back surgery in November. He has not, however, been cleared for contact, which means he cannot yet play in games.

“My rehab therapist thinks I’m good to go with practice except for the contact part,” Porter said, adding that he will be seeing the doctor next week. “I’m hoping that the doctor clears me for everything, contact included. That’s what I would love to hear. But it’s not up to me. It’s up to the doctors.”

It was announced a couple of weeks ago that Michael Porter Jr would likely be out for the entire college season after having to undergo spinal surgery. It means that his collegiate career has likely come to an end, as he’s expected to be one of the top 5 picks in the 2018 NBA Draft. The 6-10 forward has drawn comparisons to a variety of NBA stars, including Kevin Durant, due to his scoring-prowess, exceptional shooting touch, versatility and size.

Being that we won’t likely see him play again till the NBA, and since there won’t be any college mixtapes as reference, we’ve dug up footage of him from his HS days, to just remind everyone how real his game is.

Peep the mixtape above and let us know which NBA player his game reminds you of.

It’s a Tuesday afternoon in early September and Michael Porter Jr is enjoying the tranquility of a deserted Mizzou Arena while sitting by himself, courtside. The stands are completely empty and the bright lights that usually illuminate the 15,000-seat facility from the rafters are off. Dark and quiet, the only hint of light inside comes from the sunset glare brimming through the large glass panels on the sides of the arched-roof façade.

Although the natural light fails to reach the hardwood floor and lower seating bowl, it does shine over a portion of the upper deck. Porter, looking up while sitting to the left of the scorer’s table, notices the coincidental angle in which the sunlight comes in.

He begins smiling while pointing to an upper corner of the arena, where the sun’s reflection shines brightly on a wall, illuminating a couple of signs that bring back clear memories of 2010.

That’s the year Porter first set foot in the arena.

“I remember sitting all the way up there in section 208 with two strangers sitting next to me,” Porter says. “Since my dad worked here, we’d get free tickets and I would come by myself sometimes. I remember coming to these games and Mizzou Arena was packed.”

Porter’s dad, Michael Sr, accepted a Director of Basketball Operations position with the Mizzou women’s basketball program in 2010. And so the family relocated from Indianapolis, IN, to Columbia, MO, just as Porter Jr wrapped up fifth grade.

He wasn’t feeling the move at first. Like the majority of his seven other siblings, Porter Jr was homeschooled up until high school. And so the challenge with relocating at that age wasn’t necessarily about adjusting to a new school system, new teachers or new classmates. Instead, unlike in the Indy area—a hotbed for basketball—finding friends through hoops in Columbia turned out to be very challenging.

“It took a couple of years for it to feel like home—to meet new friends, because I was homeschooled,” he recalls. “Back home my friends were my basketball friends and then coming here, there wasn’t too many basketball players in the area. So I found myself alone a lot. But then that also worked to my advantage because I found myself in the gym a lot because I didn’t have many friends. That was a tough adjustment, but eventually Columbia became home.”

While Columbia didn’t have the same kind of hoops culture that Indiana offered, with his dad on staff, Porter Jr did have access to Mizzou’s facilities, basically at will. He’d shadow the team around the facilities, experience the home game atmosphere from section 208, and would work on his jumper on the arena’s hardwood.

“I was able to come here whenever I wanted to, really. The strength coach for the women’s team would put me through some strength training at a very young age,” he says. “I was able to get in here and shoot on the gun. I remember shooting a thousand shots a night. I just loved it. I loved basketball. I couldn’t think of anything better. I felt like I had everything here to reach my goals.”

One night—while still in the sixth grade—after Porter Jr finished his usual shooting workout at the arena, then- Mizzou men’s head coach Frank Haith offered him a scholarship on the spot. Only fitting that the Tigers would become the first D1 program to offer him a scholarship, right?

But his journey to wearing a Tigers uniform was anything but a simple one. The hometown hero will suit up for the state school this season only after initially committing to playing for Washington in the Pac-12. That was until a series of March events led him back to where it all began.

After three years as Director of Basketball Operations, Michael Sr was promoted to assistant coach of the women’s team at Mizzou in 2013. The following year, the oldest of the eight Porter siblings, Bri (a 6-3 forward), joined the Tigers’ program. In 2015, Cierra, a 6-4 forward and the second oldest Porter sibling, also joined the Tigers. With dad on the bench and Bri and Cierra on the floor, the Porter family appeared to be on their way to a full-blown Missouri hoops takeover.

“We’ve been naturally gifted and realize that you can make change if you have a platform, and basketball is a great platform,” Cierra says. “That’s what drives us.”

Meanwhile, after being homeschooled up to that point, Porter Jr enrolled in Columbia’s Father Tolton Regional Catholic HS for ninth grade in 2013. There he led Tolton to its first basketball state title as a junior, averaging 28.5 points, 11.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists that season.

But in 2016 a new opportunity was presented to Michael Sr. Washington head coach Lorenzo Romar offered him an assistant coaching position with the Huskies’ men’s basketball program in Seattle. Senior ultimately decided to accept the offer and the Porters found themselves relocating once again.

Romar and Michael Sr had actually known each other since the 1980s, when the two were teammates for Athletes In Action, the sports arm of Cru (then called Campus Crusade for Christ) a non-profit, non-denominational ministry organization. Romar eventually became Porter Jr’s godfather years later.

While Bri and Cierra stayed put in Columbia, Porter Jr transferred to Nathan Hale HS in the Emerald City for his senior year and committed to the Washington Huskies soon after.

In Seattle, Nathan Hale had just hired former NBA All-Star Brandon Roy as its new head coach. Joining MPJ at the school was his younger brother, Jontay, who was coming in as an 11th grader, and their younger brother, Coban, who was entering his freshman year.

The prior season, Nathan Hale had a dismal 3-18 record, but with MPJ and Jontay (who was a top-30 national recruit in his class and had committed to the Huskies for 2018) coming in, and with Roy bringing in other pieces like top-50 Class of 2019 recruit PJ Fuller, expectations were high.

The results? Nathan Hale went undefeated for the season, finishing 29-0 while capturing the state title and the No. 1 spot on MaxPreps’ national team rankings. The sharp-shooting MPJ averaged a ridiculous 36.2 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 3.2 steals and 2.7 blocks, ultimately earning National Player of the Year accolades.

While the Porter brothers enjoyed a perfect season, their father had a completely different experience at Washington in his first year. The Huskies went 9-22, losing a school record 13 straight games and finishing 11th in the Pac-12 with a 2-16 record in conference play—missing out on the NCAA Tournament for a sixth consecutive year. The tough season ultimately cost Romar his job at Washington, where he coached for 15 years.

Call it fate or pure coincidence but on the very same day that Romar was fired at Washington—March 15—Mizzou announced the hiring of Cuonzo Martin, who had just resigned as Cal’s head coach a few hours earlier. Mizzou had fired head coach Ken Anderson just 10 days prior.

And so with MPJ’s godfather no longer at the helm, the Porters saw no reason to remain committed to the Huskies and thus found themselves looking for a new home immediately.

After some talks with Martin, both Michael Jr and Michael Sr had announced that they were coming home—returning to Columbia to join the Mizzou men’s basketball program. Two months later, Jontay announced that he’d do the same by reclassifying to the Class of 2017.

The grand return to Columbia is a family reunion of all sorts. Bri and Cierra are now in their junior and senior years, respectively, and still members of the women’s basketball team, while MPJ, Jontay and Michael Sr (men’s assistant coach) will look to take care of business on the men’s side for the Tigers.

Oh, and for those keeping score of the Porter family tree within the Missouri program, you can add Robin Pingeton, the women’s basketball head coach, to the list. She’s the Porter siblings’ aunt—sister of their mother, Lisa.

“It’s been surreal so far,” Jontay says of his first month on campus with his brother and sisters. “Not everyone has the opportunity to be in college with three other siblings. So it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Adds Bri, “This is probably our last year all in one place, kind of living life together, and so that’s what we talk about. The basketball [side], everyone obviously has an expectation to succeed and excel in that area, but I think what we’ve focused on more is having fun together.”

MPJ and company will look to turn around a program that hasn’t been able to surpass 10 wins in each of the last three seasons. The team has also failed to get more than three wins in conference play in each of those three years. The Tigers haven’t been to the NCAA Tournament in four years and haven’t been able to get out of the first round of the Big Dance since the 2009-10 campaign.

“As time went on, the men’s team just wasn’t what they used to be,” MPJ says, comparing the last few years of the program to when he first sat in section 208 in 2010. “The crowds just got smaller and smaller until this past year they didn’t really have too much of a crowd at games. And so when I left Seattle and committed here, I was really just looking to renew the Mizzou atmosphere that I knew was possible. Coming back here, it was basically a dream come true. I kind of viewed it as God putting the pieces in for me to come back here. It was the perfect situation.”

If anyone has recent experience in turning around a program it’s MPJ, who, along with Jontay, helped flip Nathan Hale into the No. 1 team in the country just a year after the Raiders won three games in the whole season. And Porter Jr already sees some similarities between his new team and his old one.

“The thing about Nathan Hale is Brandon [Roy] was the coach and he brought people in with him to play with us, and I kind of view this as the same situation,” Porter Jr says. “It wasn’t just me turning that program around. Brandon had other players coming with him—and so here, after I committed, I was able to pull in more pieces with me.”

He’s referring to top-50 recruit Jeremiah Tilmon, a former Illinois commit, and top-100 recruit Blake Harris, a former Washington commit, who both agreed to join the Tigers this spring after MPJ came on board. When you add Jontay to the mix, that’s four top-100 recruits that Mizzou welcomed just this fall.

With many considering MPJ a candidate for the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, mostly due to his super versatile scoring arsenal and deadly shooting touch from just about every corner on the floor—leading to plenty of Kevin Durant comparisons—there are some very high hopes this season in Columbia and beyond for the freshman stud.

If you ask Porter Jr, though, none of those expectations mean too much.

“For me, I don’t really try to impress anyone. I honestly play for God and then I play for myself,” MPJ says. “I have my own standards of how I should play. It’s never for anybody else. It’s because I’ve been given a gift and I want to show it—but I don’t do it for other people, I do it for myself. There is some pressure sometimes—living up to the hype—but honestly I know if I keep working then there’s no one that can stand in front of my path.”

—

Franklyn Calle is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @FrankieC7.

The Missouri Tigers have already landed Michael Porter Jr, the No. 1 prospect in the America, and Blake Harris, one of the top guards in the Class of 2017. With today’s addition of 6-10 center Jeremiah Tilmon, the Tigers are gearing up for a huge season.

Tilmon, an East St. Louis (IL) native, originally planned to play for the Fighting Illini, but decommitted after John Groce was fired. He played his high school ball at East St. Louis HS (IL), where he emerged as one of the top recruits in the country and averaged 15 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks his senior season.

“It’s truly exciting to keep a young man like Jeremiah at home with Mizzou basketball. Jeremiah, as a player and person, possesses the type of skill and presence we’d like to become a staple of this program.”

The top prospect in the Class of 2017 Michael Porter Jr may have averaged 36.2 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 3.2 steals and 2.7 blocks as a HS senior this past season while hooping for Brandon Roy at Seattle’s Nathan Hale High, but his numbers have nothing on his mother’s HS stats.

The Gazette reported on Sunday that his mother, Lisa Becker (now Lisa Porter), averaged a jaw-dropping 58.7 points per game (not a typo) as a senior at Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School.

Porter Jr is an early candidate for the top pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and will be hooping for Mizzou this fall.

In 1983, Lisa Becker scored 58.7 points a game for Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School.

“Fifty-eight points a game my senior year, my kids can’t get that,” the-now Lisa Porter said with a laugh from her Seattle home recently. The 6-on-6 game that year’s Iowa “Miss Basketball” played is something from her era, not theirs.

Then she went on to star in the Big Ten Conference, where she would help lead her squad into the Big Dance:

Nationally recruited, she stayed close to home and played for the University of Iowa from 1983-1987, scoring 1,335 points. During that time, the Hawkeyes won their first Big Ten women’s basketball title and went to their first NCAA tourney.

Lisa got her MBA and entered the business world, but took some time off to play for Athletes in Action. AIA’s mission statement is “To build spiritual movements everywhere through the platform of sports so that everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus.”

Lisa met her future husband, Michael Porter Sr., in a gymnasium, naturally. It was at a Cincinnati-area where AIA men’s and women’s teams were practicing.

After landing the top player in the Class of 2017 Michael Porter Jr a couple of weeks ago, Mizzou now seems eager to load up their recruiting class. Thanks to a strong recruiting effort from Porter Jr, the Tigers will now be hosting top-10 recruit Kevin Knox and top-100 recruit Blake Harris this weekend on campus. Looks like new head coach Cuonzo Martin (who resigned at Cal last month) is aiming to put together a star-studded recruiting class at the last minute. Can he pull it off?

Last summer, five-star recruit Kevin Knox of Tampa, Fla., trimmed his list of schools to the bluest of blue bloods: Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and now national champion North Carolina, plus local option Florida State, where both his parents were athletes.

He’s since added a new choice. Knox plans to be at Mizzou this weekend on an official recruiting visit, flanked by Porter, his fellow five-star recruit who’s now the most valuable asset and recruiter for Martin’s program.

“Two weeks ago Kevin Knox probably had no idea where the University of Missouri was,” Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Corey Evans said. “But now Michael Porter’s there and Knox is a day away from being in Columbia for 48 hours.”

Knox and Porter are playing in the Nike Summit Friday night in Portland, Ore., then taking a late flight to Missouri to be in Columbia on Saturday for their weekend visit. Blake Harris, a three-star guard from Raleigh, N.C., is also visiting Mizzou this weekend. Like Porter, Harris signed with Washington in the fall but was released from his letter of intent after the school fired coach Lorenzo Romar. C.J. Roberts, a four-star guard from Dallas who signed with MU last fall, is making travel plans to be in Columbia, too, his father, Craig Roberts, confirmed Thursday.

If all things align the Tigers’ way and Martin lands his top targets, including five-star East St. Louis center Jeremiah Tilmon, who asked out of his letter of intent with Illinois this week, Mizzou’s overnight roster turnaround could be unprecedented, Evans said.

On Wednesday, Michael Porter Jr was awarded the Gatorade State Player of the Year award, a prestigious accolade given to the top HS prospect in the nation. But that isn’t the only reason why he made headlines (and trended on Twitter). After Washington fired his godather Lorenzo Romar last week, where Porter Jr had previously committed to play next season, rumors began spreading that Porter would back away from his commitment to the Huskies and would potentially look to return to Columbia, MO, his hometown, and play for Missouri.

On Wednesday, he publicly commented on the possibilities of that happening. And well, based on the way he spoke, it sounded like a done deal already. He told the St. Louis Dispatch:

“To be able to go back (to Columbia), I know those Mizzou fans are hungry — and I’ve been shown a lot of love from Mizzou fans. It could be something real, real special just to come home and do my thing there, it would special.”

The connections between Porter and Mizzou run deep, after all. His two older sisters play for the women’s basketball team. His aunt, his mother’s sister, is the head coach of the women’s team. His father was an assistant coach for the women’s team for four years until last season, when Romar offered Michael Porter Sr an assistant coaching position at Washington and the family ultimately relocated to Seattle. And prior to moving to the Pacific Northwest last summer, Porter Jr had lived his entire life in Columbia, MO, which is home to Mizzou’s campus.

On Wednesday, Michael Porter Jr was awarded the Gatorade State Player of the Year award, a prestigious accolade given to the top HS prospect in the nation. But that isn’t the only reason why he made headlines (and trended on Twitter) today. After Washington fired his godather Lorenzo Romar last week, where Porter Jr had previously committed to play next season, rumors began spreading that Porter would back away from his commitment to the Huskies and would potentially look to return to Columbia, MO, his hometown, and play for Missouri.

On Wednesday, he publicly commented on the possibilities of that happening. And well, based on the way he spoke, it sounded very, very possible. He told the St. Louis Dispatch:

“To be able to go back (to Columbia), I know those Mizzou fans are hungry — and I’ve been shown a lot of love from Mizzou fans. It could be something real, real special just to come home and do my thing there, it would special.”

The connections between Porter and Mizzou run deep, after all. His two older sisters play for the women’s basketball team. His aunt, his mother’s sister, is the head coach of the women’s team. His father was an assistant coach for the women’s team for four years until last season, when Romar offered Michael Porter Sr an assistant coaching position at Washington and the family ultimately relocated to Seattle. And prior to moving to the Pacific Northwest last summer, Porter Jr had lived his entire life in Columbia, MO, which is home to Mizzou’s campus. And to add more fuel to the speculations, there were reports last week that Mizzou’s new head coach, Cuonzo Martin, had offered Porter Sr an assistant coaching position with the men’s program.

But according to today’s report in the St. Louis Dispatch, his father hasn’t accepted any position with the program (yet). Porter Jr did clarify, though, that his dad did in fact recently meet with Martin, who resigned from his head coach position at California a couple of weeks ago. And Porter Jr had nothing but positive things to say of the newly hired coach.

Asked about coach Martin, Porter Jr. said: “I didn’t know his name before he went to Mizzou, but once he went there, I saw it all over social media. It turns out coach Romar knew him really well, and my dad knows who he was, and my dad went to meet with him. And I trust my dad. He said Cuonzo’s a great guy, he’s a winner, he has a competitiveness to him, so I’ve heard all great things about him.”

Porter Jr. said he shook Martin’s hand when Martin recently met with Porter Sr. — but he couldn’t speak with the coach because of recruiting rules.

As Missouri and Georgia headed to halftime during yesterday’s SEC tilt, a shoving match broke out. This time, however, it was between the opposing coaching and personnel staffs instead of the players.

When the buzzer sounded, players from both the Bulldogs and Tigers confronted each other, then things escalated when Missouri assistant Steve Shields and Georgia director of operations Kevin Davison put their paws on one another. Things eventually cooled down and each team was assessed an unsportsmanlike technical foul.

Just weeks after his former head coach at Huntington Prep, Rob Fulford, accepted an assistant coach position with the Missouri men’s basketball team, Montaque Gill-Caesar revealed he too will be joining the Tigers. And to add to the already great news for Missouri fans, the four-star Canadian wing will reclassify from the class of 2015 […]

Just weeks after his former head coach at Huntington Prep, Rob Fulford, accepted an assistant coach position with the Missouri men’s basketball team, Montaque Gill-Caesar revealed he too will be joining the Tigers. And to add to the already great news for Missouri fans, the four-star Canadian wing will reclassify from the class of 2015 into 2014, making him available for the upcoming season. More from the Kansas City Star:

Missouri’s men’s basketball team filled its final remaining scholarship Saturday, announcing that Montaque Gill-Caesar had signed a financial aid agreement.

Gill-Caesar — a 6-foot-6 small forward from Ontario, Canada, who played for Tigers assistant Rob Fulford at Huntington Prep in West Virginia the last two years — had planned to enter college in 2015.

Instead, Gill-Caesar, who often goes by the nickname “Teki,” reclassified and will be eligible immediately at Missouri. He graduated from high school last spring.

“I’m so excited to be joining the University of Missouri family and cannot wait to get on campus and get to work,” Gill-Caesar said in a release from MU Athletics. “Everything about my visit to Mizzou (in late June) was perfect, but I wanted to be thorough make the decision that was best for me and my family.

“I already had great relationships with coach Rob (Fulford) and (Tigers associate head) coach (Tim) Fuller, but having a chance to meet coach Anderson and get to know him on a personal level just put everything over the top. I want to thank my family and everyone at Huntington Prep for their support and I’m ready to be a Missouri Tiger.”

Here we are two weeks to the NBA Draft, and one player who is rising up the boards is Jordan Clarkson, 6-5 guard from Missouri. Clarkson has quietly moved himself into the first round conversation and has a draft window from from mid-first round to the early second round.

After wowing people at the NBA Draft Combine, Clarkson reminded people once again of one of the top guard prospects in the class. It’s not surprising to his trainer Jay Hernandez, who has worked with Kemba Walker, Tobias Harris and Michael Carter-Williams, among other stars.

“Jordan is a real talent. His combination of skills, size and athleticism are as good as you will see in a PG in this Draft. He’s willing to put in the work and he is willing to listen,” Hernandez said. “That mixture, with his natural gifts, will allow him to have a long run in the NBA, at arguably the toughest position.”

Clarkson’s season took a noticeable dip once he learned that his hero, his father Mike, was diagnosed with cancer. The second half of the season, Clarkson struggled in shooting the basketball and his three-point shooting percentage tanked, concerning scouts about his ability to stretch the defense on the next level. Clarkson transitioned to point guard at Missouri after having played the position some at Tulsa.

He still remained the Tigers’ best option to score and that came at the expense of his assist-to-turnover ratio. Most scouts see him as a combo guard more than a true point guard.

We caught up with Clarkson to get some insight to what makes this unheralded prospect from San Antonio tick.

SLAM: When did you start to think you could be pretty good?

Jordan Clarkson: After the sit-out year at Missouri, and practicing every day. Then, that summer going to Chris Paul Camp and performing against the other college guys.

SLAM: Tell us about the adjustment from playing at Tulsa to Missouri.

JC: One of my reasons for transferring was to play in a BCS conference—in the SEC. I felt I developed my game and did well. (Clarkson was named Second-Team All-SEC.—Ed.)

SLAM: This was an interesting season at Missouri, which started with a lot of high hopes and ended abruptly.

JC: We had a decent year, started out with high expectations. Unfortunately we had our ups and downs, we hit bumps in the road, between off-the-court issues with some players and family. In the end, I was proud about how we did considering the adversity we dealt with.

SLAM: Your family has dealt with health issues recently. How have you managed to stay focused?

JC: You use basketball as an outlet and try not to let that stuff affect you on the floor. I took it in stride. My dad is back home now and doing good. His therapy started and he’s getting back to walking. I want to do this for him. My dad is my hero. When my brother and I were younger, anything he could do for us in our home situation, he did. He’s the real motivation to me, I’m trying to do this for him and my family.

SLAM: The decision to leave Missouri and enter the Draft, what was the process?

JC: It was a tough decision leaving Missouri. I spoke with my mom and the rest of my family and I felt like I was ready to take the step to the next level. My work ethic is never going to change; I have a different hunger than most of those guys. I have a chip on my shoulder any time on the court, by myself or at a workout. I try to go hard. I know I wasn’t heavily recruited or played in big all-star games. I feel I have to prove myself to people every time out on the court.

SLAM: What are you doing to prepare for the Draft?

JC: Working real hard, out in Long Island with Jay Hernandez from Pro Hoops. I’m working every day in the gym, twice per day.

SLAM: What do you think you can do on the floor for an NBA team?

JC: I bring defensive versatility. I can guard three positions, anyone on the perimeter. I can score the basketball; either to the basket, through my mid-range game or beyond the arc. I’m able to make my teammates better. I can create shots for them.

SLAM: What areas of your game have you been working on since leaving school?

JC: Keeping my jump shot consistent. Critics had felt I was right hand dominant—I can go left now. I’m working hard on improving my left hand finishing moves.

SLAM: What position are you hoping to play at the next level?

JC: I’m a point guard, first and foremost. I played it last season and some at Tulsa, but I can score the basketball, so I’m comfortable playing off the ball.

JC: To a certain extent. I shot it well at Tulsa, I just had an off year shooting this season at Missouri. I had some mechanical issues that developed with my release and my hips. I have watched a lot of film after the season to improve it. I’m a scorer first and a shooter second.

SLAM: Any player that you try to emulate your game after?

JC: I watch a lot of Russell Westbrook, George Hill, Devin Harris, Chris Paul and take a little from each.

SLAM: Finish this sentence: Your coach at Missouri, Frank Haith, is…

JC: Great guy, great coach. I talked a lot to him throughout the season. He was always there for me. He knew that I was going through a tough time and he helped me through it.

SLAM: Toughest player you have played against?

JC: Tobias Harris, Orlando Magic. His size and ability to make shots.

SLAM: Best player you have played with?

JC: Andre Roberson, Thunder…Colorado. My high school teammate. He was a great teammate, he did everything. He can score the ball and he is a rebound machine.

SLAM: What is your message for those trying to follow in your footsteps?

JC: Work hard every day. Get in the gym, accept criticism and use it as motivation.

SLAM: Anything else you want people to know about you?

JC: I’m part Filipino and I’m looking to be the first or one of the first Filipino-Americans to play in the NBA. I know the country is backing me. I hope to be able to visit there in the future.

Anderson, who was inducted in to the university’s Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in 1999 for his career as a player from 1973-77, accepted the school’s vacant head coaching position last night.

While he has no D-I head coaching experience, Anderson went 274-94 in 12 years at D-II Central Missouri, leading the Mules to a national title last season

Anderson, 58 and a Sedalia native, has strong ties to the Missouri basketball program’s glory years under Norm Stewart, who retired in 1999. Anderson interviewed to be Stewart’s replacement, but Alden hired Quin Snyder instead.

Fifteen years later, Alden reached back into Missouri’s past as a guide for its future.

“Obviously, I’m humbled and appreciative and feel privileged to be able to do this,” Anderson said Monday night during an interview that aired on Missouri’s athletics website.

Anderson was an assistant at Missouri twice, from 1982-85 and 1991-99. He will replace Frank Haith, who was named Tulsa’s new head coach last week.

After accruing a 129-101 record at Miami from 2004-2011, Haith agreed to coach the Tigers and immediately saw success. He went 30-5 in his first year, and racked up a 76-28 record during his three years in Columbia.

Via The Kansas City Star:

“I loved Missouri. I had a great experience there. I did not have to leave Missouri,” Haith said.

Down the stretch they come, as tickets are being punched with the power conference tourneys this week.

It’s always a manic close to the regular season in college hoops and frankly, there is nothing in sports quite like it. Teams can state their case for inclusion in the NCAA Tournament with big wins, meaning that their conference tournament need only validate that they didn’t play themselves out.

So while the talking heads on television obsess over the decline at Syracuse and worry about the No. 1 seeds, there is a far more interesting battle shaping up for teams who can be in if they win this weekend. Keep the remote handy and the popcorn popping. It will be a telling weekend.

Syracuse peaked too soon?

Losers of four of their last six games, the Orange (27-4) are scuffling in a bad way. In the past three months, the Orangemen have eclipsed the 70-point mark just three times. That isn’t the type of number that makes one think ‘Final Four.’

Mid-Major Sleeper Alert: Georgia State, 24-7

Winners of 21 of their last 22 games, the Sun Belt favorites have two dynamic scorers. RJ Hunter is one of the nation’s best players and he can back that up down the stretch. His father is Ron Hunter, the head coach of the Panthers who led the IUPUI program from the NAIA ranks to the NCAA Tournament. The younger Hunter is a blossoming 6-5 star who is averaging nearly 19 points per game as a sophomore. His backcourt mate is Ryan Harrow, now at his third program and trying to live up to the high expectations that the once NC State and Kentucky guard had on his shoulders. The return to Georgia has treated him well, as Harrow is averaging 17 points per game and playing his best college ball yet. This duo could shock a high seed right out of the Dance.

SECURE (FOR NOW)

Baylor, 22-10

The Bears have won eight of their last nine, including an impressive double-digit victory over Iowa State. Eight victories against the top 50, including out-of-conference victories against Colorado, Dayton and Kentucky and Big 12 wins against the aforementioned Cyclones, Kansas State and a sweep of Oklahoma State should be enough of a resume. Saturday’s win in Manhattan against an equally desperate Kansas State was huge.

Oregon, 23-8

The Ducks have found the right time to gel and play their best basketball. Winners of their last eight, staring at the home finale against Arizona—momentum is on their side. While they only have three victories against the top 50, there are no damaging losses on the resume. This team dealt with suspensions and injuries and this strong close should be highly regarded by the committee.

Pittsburgh, 24-8

Stumbling down the stretch is Jamie Dixon’s Panthers who have dropped six of their last 12 games. Last Saturday’s win against Clemson gave the Panthers a sweep against the Tigers and likely a lock for an at-large bid. But the Panthers still only possess one top-50 victory. They can make it, but will they go far?

Nebraska, 19-11

The job that Tim Miles has done with the Cornhusker program is nothing short from amazing. A little talent never hurt either. Hello ‘College Basketball Nation’—meet Terran Petteway, a redshirt sophomore who has taken the Big Ten by storm. The Huskers have won 11 of their last 14 conference games after starting the conference slate 0-4. Only a narrow one-point defeat to conference champion Michigan is the lone blemish on the home record. Resume includes wins against Wisconsin, Michigan State, Ohio State, Minnesota, Indiana (twice) and non-conference over Georgia and ASun favorite, Florida Gulf Coast. Four wins against the top 50. Sunday’s matchup against Wisconsin might have clinched their first birth NCAA Tournament birth since 1998.

Tennessee, 20-11

The Volunteers have taken care of business down the stretch with four elimination-game victories, including a 72-45 blowout against fellow bubble hopeful Missouri in their SEC finale. It has become ever more likely that the Southeastern Conference will warrant a fourth NCAA Tournament entree. The Volunteers look better each week with a non-conference victory against ACC champion Virginia to go along with a split against Xavier, eight victories against the top 100 in all (three of them against the top 50). There is work that still must be done, but the Vols are in the driver’s seat.

CURRENTLY OUT (BUT ON THE RISE)

Missouri, 22-10

The Tigers have underwhelmed much of the season despite having one of the nation’s best backcourts. These ‘Cats seemingly have nine lives as they found a way to defeat Texas A&M twice after being all but counted out. They now have a real shot to make the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers have eight top-100 wins—two of them are against the top 50. Non-conference victories include UCLA, West Virginia, NC State and Northwestern.

Providence, 21-11

The Friars’ thrilling overtime victory against Marquette was one of the most dramatic games of the season. A run to the Big East Championship game is the ticket to earning an at-large bid. Bryce Cotton has had an All-Big East Conference season. Nine top-100 victories (two against the top 50) put the Friars firmly on the bubble.

California, 19-12

The Bears seemed like a lock for the NCAA Tournament when they beat Arizona just a mere five weeks ago, with three losses in their last four outings, they have become no sure thing. Closing out conference play with a win against Colorado puts them right where they need to be entering the Pac-12 tourney. Coach Mike Montgomery’s squad has eight top-100 wins (four in the top 50) and is two wins away from having cemented their place in the at-large field.

Clemson, 19-11

Winners of four of their last six, Clemson is in position to propel themselves toward an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers have a mere four victories vs the top 100, but could the tournament committee leave out a team with 10 ACC conference wins—especially in this new ACC that was projected to have up to eight qualifying teams at media day?

For seniors in college, there is no span of time as nerve-wracking as the months leading up to graduation. Between schoolwork, crafting a suitable resume and finding a job, there’s hardly a moment to exhale.

For basketball-playing seniors in college, all of those pressures are ratcheted up a notch. Schoolwork is pretty much put on pause. Resumes are already written in indelible ink based on the stats you posted during the season. And finding a job, well, finding a job where an innumerable amount of hopefuls are aiming for 60 spots is harder than finding work on Wall Street.

“That’s why you’ve got to do things that nobody else is doing,” says Larry Marshall, a basketball trainer based out of New Jersey who has worked with the likes of MarShon Brooks. “That’s why you’ve got to be willing to break through walls that most people don’t even know they have.”

Ricardo Ratliffe is currently breaking through walls. Actually, he’s lifting and pushing and dropping an oversized tire over and over again, all in pursuit of finding and breaking internal barriers that will help him reach the NBA.

“I want people to know I can do more than I’ve shown the past couple of years,” says Ratliffe, the only starter 6-8 or taller on a Missouri team that won 30 games this past season. “I see my [NBA] role as being a hard-working, high-motor guy who’s relentless on the glass and can defend multiple positions and play inside and out.”

The difference between being selected in the first round and second round of the NBA Draft is a guaranteed contract and millions of dollars. The difference between the second round and going undrafted is more painful, if not less financially debilitating. These are simple motivating factors for all players. Ratliffe, though, has an extra dose of motivation.

Ricardo Ratliffe didn’t just grow up in a hardscrabble corridor of Hampton, VA. He grew up in the worst part of Hampton. He grew up in an area afflicted with unspeakable poverty, rampant drug use and a maze of crime. By all accounts, he should not have escaped childhood unscathed—and he wouldn’t have, if not for his mother.

“She’s the most important person in my life,” the 23-year-old says of his mother, Kismyt, who raised him by herself. “She’s my role model and my inspiration and motivation all rolled into one.”

Though she hasn’t lived in the same state as him for the past four years—the first two of which he spent dominating at Central Florida Community College; the latter two of which he spent amassing a double-figure average in scoring on over 60 percent shooting and over 6 rebounds per game while playing out of position at Mizzou—she’s been with him every step of the way. With her voice, via phone and texts, and with her inspiration, via his cell phone’s background image and his Twitter handle .

“At the end of the day, especially here with the hard stuff we do, sometimes I feel like I want to quit,” says the soft-spoken Ratliffe. “Then I think about her, and I find the energy and strength to do whatever I’m trying to do.”

This Spring, while working out in New Jersey in preparation for the NBA Draft, all the eager-to-learn Ratliffe is trying to do is get better. All he’s trying to do is convince once GM that he can help his team immediately. All he’s trying to do is overcome the odds one more time. All he’s trying to do is pay his mom back for saving his life.

“A lot of kids think they want it, but they don’t really even know what means,” says Marshall. “Rico, he’s special. All you have to do is watch him and you can tell.”

On this particular day, a “light one” according to those involved, watching him means waking up with the sun to hit the weight room, where Ratliffe puts up rep after rep of football-player weights. Watching him means walking to the nearby beach after leaving the weight room, where Ratliffe beats up the sand with a desperate passion. Watching him means toweling off, changing shirts and driving straight to a basketball court, where for 90 straight minutes he works on refining his wing and post skills and sweats his way through a second tee. Watching him means grabbing a healthy meal, changing one more time and hitting a different court for two-plus hours.

After a lackluster first day, the NCAA tournament had a first on Friday when not one, but two No. 2 seeds fell to No. 15 seeds. First it was Missouri losing to Norfolk State, 86-84, and then a few hours later Duke lost to Lehigh, 75-70.

Norfolk State’s win was a thriller in every sense. The Spartans, who were playing in their first NCAA tournament game, went blow-for-blow with Missouri. The game was tied at the half, and the lead changed hands seven times in the final 20 minutes. Keeping Norfolk State afloat was senior center Kyle O’Quinn, who finished with 26 points and 14 rebounds.

But O’Quinn’s two missed free throws in the waning seconds gave Missouri a chance to tie or win. The upset survived, though, as Phil Pressey’s deep three-pointer did not fall.

“We messed up some brackets! We messed up some brackets! … We even messed up my bracket.”

Lehigh’s upset over Duke didn’t come down to the last shot but was almost as exciting. After trailing by two at halftime, Lehigh came out strong and seized the lead after a 7-0 run. The rest of the game, the Mountain Hawks relinquished the lead just once and picked up their first ever tournament win.

Aside from the upset, it was the coming out party for one of the more underrated players in the country — C.J. McCollum. The junior guard torched the Duke backcourt for 30 points, six rebounds and six assists.

The last Big 12 regular season game between No. 3 Missouri and No. 4 Kansas was one to remember as the Jayhawks rallied from 19 points down in the second half to defeat the Tigers in overtime, 87-86. The win guarantees Kansas at least a share of the Big 12 title.

In what was one of the best college games of the season, Player of the Year candidate Thomas Robinson converted a three-point play with 16 seconds left in regulation to tie the game. The junior forward then blocked the shot of Missouri’s Phil Pressey to send the game to overtime.

A back-and-forth extra session appeared to be ending in Missouri favor when senior guard Marcus Denmon nailed a jumper with 12 seconds left to put the Tigers up 86-85. But Kansas answered right back as senior guard Tyshawn Taylor took the inbounds pass, raced coast-to-coast and got fouled on a drive to the basket. He sank both free throws to give the Jayhawks the lead. Missouri did not get a shot off on its final possession.

For Kansas, it was a win worth cherishing a little more than others.

From The Kansas City Star:

“I can’t even put it into words, man,” said forward Thomas Robinson, who finished with 28 points, 12 rebounds and made the biggest plays on both ends of the floor to extend the game. “I don’t think I’m ever going to be part of something as big as this game was.”

The Jayhawks now have to beat either Oklahoma State or Texas to win the outright Big 12 title. It will be their 12th in the 16 year history of the league.

After its dramatic win over No. 7 Kansas on Saturday, No. 4 Missouri narrowly avoided an upset against Oklahoma, eventually prevailing, 71-68. The Sooners had a chance to tie at the buzzer, but the shot by junior guard Steven Pledger fell short.

Leading the way once again for the Tigers was senior guard Marcus Denmon, who finished with 25 points. Denmon is beginning to make his case for National Player of the Year as he continues to pile up high scoring totals in Missouri victories. Monday was the fifth time this season that Denmon has been able to score at least 25 points.

His performance helped avoid a letdown that almost seemed inevitable.

From the Columbia Daily Tribune:

“You say it. You say you’ve got to bounce back, you’ve got to be ready,” senior Kim English said. “But it’s just natural to get excited after a win of that magnitude, an atmosphere of that magnitude.”

The win gave the Tigers the lead in the Big 12 by a half game over Kansas and No. 6 Baylor. Missouri will play the Bears on Saturday. On Jan. 21, the Tigers picked up a road victory, 89-88, in their first meeting with Baylor.

The Tigers felt the game slipping away before Denmon converted a three-point play and then sank back-to-back three-pointers. He finished the game with 29 points and 9 rebounds.

The game now gives Missouri a chance to do something no other team than Kansas has done in the Big 12 in the last seven years — win the regular season title outright. Missouri, Kansas and No. 6 Baylor are all tied at 8-2 atop the conference.

The Tigers feel as though they can get the job done.

From The Kansas City Star:

“My teammates are a bunch of winners,” Denmon said. “Whatever you’ve got to do to get a win, I think that’s what my teammates and myself did.”

Kansas, who has now lost two of its last three games, has another tough test on Wednesday. The Jayhawks will travel to Baylor to take on the Bears. Kansas won the first meeting 92-74, on Jan. 16.

A 79-72 win over second-ranked Missouri should be enough to get people talking about Oklahoma State. But, what people are talking about is Cowboys’ sophomore guard Markel Brown. Peep the video above for possibly biggest dunk in college basketball this season.

Unfortunately for Brown, officials called him for his second T of the night because he “stared down” Missouri’s Matt Pressey following the vicious slam. He finished with 8 points, two of which came in the first possession of the game. Yes, the same game:

The number of unbeatens fell from four to three on Saturday as No. 23 Kansas State handed No. 7 Missouri its first loss of the season, 75-59. Only No. 1 Syracuse, No. 4 Baylor and No. 19 Murray State have yet to lose.

The Tigers were never in the game against the Wildcats and their raucous home crowd. By halftime, Missouri trailed 44-25 and wasn’t able to get that deficit to single digits. Missouri entered the game second in the nation, averaging 86.2 ppg, but the 59 points were a season low and the Tigers shot just 32.7 percent from the field, a far cry from their nation’s best 52.2 percent.

Aside from the Wildcats’ stellar defensive effort, it was the play of junior guard Rodney McGruder, who led all scorers with 20 points, that paced the team.

The win was extra sweet for Kansas State, who’s former star guard Jacob Pullen called out Missouri before the game.

From Kansas.com:

And just a little while earlier, former K-State guard Jacob Pullen had chimed in on Twitter about Missouri, posting this: “I don’t like that team, (they) always thought they were better than they were… especially (Mike) Dixon and (Denmon) #trash.”

Kansas State won’t have to wait long to get another chance at an undefeated team. The Wildcats host Baylor on Tuesday.

What was supposed to be an evenly-matched and high-scoring final for the CBE Classic quickly turned into a laugher as No. 21 Missouri ran all over No. 20 California for an easy 92-53 victory.

The Tigers jumped out to a 19-point halftime lead and kept pouring it on, outscoring the Golden Bears by 20 points in the second half. Senior Kim English’s 19 points led a veteran Missouri squad that had five players in double figures. The Tigers’ starting lineup outscored California 64 to 35.

The win shows that the Big 12 is shaping up to be a three-team race between Baylor, Kansas and Missouri. The Tigers have perhaps been most impressive of them all so far, starting 5-0, outscoring their opponents by an average of 26.4 ppg and already notching two quality wins over California and Notre Dame.

New head coach Frank Haith has been able to get his players to follow his lead from the very beginning.

From KCTV.com:

“The kids are buying in and that’s great to see. We understand we have to stay hungry. It’s a marathon – this is coach-speak now – it’s not a sprint,” Haith said. “As long as our guys understand the focus, there are things we have to work on, we’ve got a chance. No doubt about it.”

Playing just one freshman in the rotation, Missouri is one of the most experienced teams in the country. With no more ranked opponents on the schedule until conference play, the Tigers could begin its quest for a Big 12 title as a top-10 team.

CBS Sports has the 411: “Missouri coach Mike Anderson is close to reaching an agreement in principle to become Arkansas‘ men’s basketball coach, but a deal has not been finalized and no formal introduction is planned for Sunday, a source close to the Arkansas program told CBSSports.com late Saturday… [Anderson’s] Tigers lost to Cincinnati in the Round of 64 on Thursday. Arkansas is looking for a coach because it fired John Pelphrey last Sunday. Pelphrey made one NCAA tournament in four years.”

-So, no movement yet for Carmelo Anthony, but a much different Nugget roster should be at his disposal tonight, as they look to avenge that tragic loss last week to San Antonio. With the return of Chauncey Billups, Birdman Andersen and Kenyon Martin, Head Coach George Karl will have a full roster for the first (and maybe ONLY time with an impending trade) all year long. Make no mistake, this team’s defensive intensity and overall attitude will be strengthened by the ‘10-11 debut of KMart and, against an opponent like the Spurs, a little experience and grit are in high demand.

-Last night in college basketball featured one of the games I had circled early in the season, as UNLV traveled to Kansas City to face the Wildcats of Kansas State. Unfortunately for the purple faithful, stars Jacob Pullen and Curtis Kelly were not at Head Coach Frank Martin’s disposal. The tandem was charged with receiving impermissible benefits from a local department store and caused Pullen to be shut-down for three games while Kelly’s suspension is still indefinite. While the player subtraction will surely hinder the Cats in the short-term, it shouldn’t affect either the bulk of Big 12 play or any kind of run come March. Last night, though, the omissions were apparent, as the Runnin’ Rebels held on a for a 63-59 win that was largely in doubt until a late blocked shot and a three-pointer by Oscar Bellfield sealed the win for the visitors.

-Speaking of Kansas State basketball, is there anyone in the world today who is scarier than this man? I would not be surprised if President Obama called on Coach Martin for future peace negotiations with world leaders. Just throw this guy into a room with North Korea’s Kim Jong-il and watch as the nukes are deactivated. As Kansas State forward Jamar Samuels put it, in terms of his coach’s now legendary gaze, “You have to treat it like the sun. Looking at it for more than a few seconds is dangerous to your health.”

-Huge game tonight in Saint Louis (despite no pro team or college one worth much) as the nationally ranked Missouri Tigers and the Illinois Fighting Illini face off in their annual Braggin’ Rights game. A bit of the shine was taken off this game with Illinois’ recent loss to UI-Chicago, but it may just make for a more competitive game in the end.

I’m just lucky that I’ll be sitting courtside for this one.

This post was a segment of Cub’s blog at milehighsportsview.blogspot.com. The Mile High Five is a daily portion of his blog that covers several aspects in the world of Denver and national sports and pop culture.

With the ACC/Big Ten Challenge in full swing Tuesday night, the showdown between No. 16 Georgetown and No. 9 Missouri got lost in the shuffle. It was very symbolic of the Hoyas season so far, which despite a 5-0 start a year after a first round exit in the NCAA tournament, had gone relatively unnoticed.

However, Georgetown made a serious statement in what was perhaps the best game of the young season. The Hoyas and Tigers raced up-and-down the floor all evening and scored with ease (both teams shot over 56 percent from the field). A furious rally at the end of the game coupled with some missed Missouri free throws had Georgetown down three on its last possession. A missed 3-point attempt0 led to a scrum for the offensive rebound that eventually wound up back in Georgetown’s hands. Chris Wright then connected on a wide-open 3-pointer for the Hoyas to send the game to overtime.

In overtime, it was all Jason Clark, who scored nine of the team’s 17 points in the extra period to lead the Hoyas to a 111-102 win. Clark, who ended up the hero, almost was instead the goat, as it appeared at the end of regulation after Wright tied the game that he attempted to foul Missouri after apparently being unsure of the score. Luckily for him and the Hoyas, he was never able to make contact with the Missouri player.

Georgetown is looking much improved from a year ago, when it suffered from a lack of depth and not many scoring options. Preseason Big East Player of the Year Austin Freeman got his Kemba Walker on last night, going for 31 points and leads a Hoyas team in scoring that is averaging 81 ppg.

The Hoyas were a bit of an unknown before Tuesday, but now it seems that they will be one of the major contenders in the Big East.

From The Washington Post:

Georgetown Coach John Thompson III brought his team halfway across the country looking to test his players mentally, physically and emotionally against a top opponent in a hostile environment. Well, he certainly found it.

“We accomplished all of that,” he said. “This was a very good win against a very good team that you had to be prepared for, and attentive to, for 45 minutes.”

The Big East appears wide open right now. Pittsburgh looks like the best team right now, but UConn, Georgetown, Syracuse and Villanova will all have a say in the matter before it’s over. At the very least, the Hoyas proved last night to forget about last year and start taking this year’s squad seriously.

Year after year, people can always count on the Big Ten/ACC Challenge to provide viewers with dramatic, exciting, and quality games. This year is no exception, as one of the best early season match-ups thus far pits Coach Izzo against Coach K on Wednesday night in Durham. As Virginia showed against Minnesota last night, anything can happen in this “tournament” that pits conference pride on the line with every showdown.

Besides the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, there are also a handful of other games that are more than worthy of keeping an eye on for the avid college basketball fan. Here’s your guide of what to watch for from Tuesday through Thursday this week.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30

Ole Miss Rebels (3-1) @ Miami Hurricanes (4-2) 7 p.m.:This match-up of SEC and the ACC teams will display two teams with quick and dominant guard play in the backcourt. Miami is led by junior Malcolm Grant, who is lightning in a bottle with the basketball but has a tendency to take ill-advised shots all too often (though he is a tough shot maker at times). 6-4 sophomore Durand Scott, who does most of the ball-handling for the Hurricanes, is more than capable of scoring his own points. His ability to create quality looks for his teammates will be crucial against the Ole Miss backcourt. Ole Miss has shown a deep and balanced scoring attack from guards Chris Warren (lighting quick scoring point guard), Nick Williams (powerful scoring guard), Trevor Gaskins (shooter), and Zach Graham (do-it-all guard). Importantly for them, even when Chris Warren struggled (10 points, 5 assists, 6 turnovers against Murray State), the other guards lifted the team to a 77-61 win. The key to this game, though, should be on the interior where the Hurricanes 6-10 Reggie Johnson should be able to take advantage of his massive size and abilities. His 10.5 rebounds per game average are nearly double that of any player on Ole Miss (highest average is 5.5 rpg for any player). The guard play will be crucial, but in the end it might come down to post play in this one.

Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0) @ Florida State Seminoles (5-1), Big Ten/ACC Challenge, 7:30 p.m.:Early this summer, I was talking to a high-major division one assistant, and he made the claim that Jared Sullinger has a good chance of winning Big Ten Player of the Year. At first, the claim seemed a little too much for me, but that day I realized that this coach was right. Sullinger has played well so far, netting over 15 points and grabbing over 8 rebounds per game. Sharpshooters Jon Diebler and all-purpose guard David Lighty add the necessary perimeter game for the Buckeyes, and fellow freshmen Deshaun Thomas continues to keep his “man amongst boys” status rolling. If anyone has a say in the Buckeyes dominance in Tallahassee, it will need to come from Florida State’s Mr. Everything: Chris Singleton. Sporting almost a double-double so far this year (9.8 rebounds/game), Singleton has the ability to single handedly keep the Seminoles in this game. The X-factor for the Seminoles might end up being 3-point specialist Michael Snaer. If Snaer can toss in a few triples and break up the Buckeye’s momentum, the Seminoles can stick around for a while. Also, look for William Buford to raise his intensity level a notch this game. Buford has all the tools to take over this game and causes a match-up problem on the court. If Buford plays to his potential the Buckeyes can be scary good this season.

Georgetown Hoyas (6-0) vs. Missouri Tigers (5-0) (Kansas City), 9 p.m.:Big East vs. Big 12. Slow-it-down vs. speed-it-up. Both the Hoyas and the Tigers have gotten off to phenomenal starts this year after narrowly surviving their season opener’s against supposedly unthreatening schools. Through Feast Week it has been smooth sailing, but one of these teams will have to go home with an L. Georgetown plays their trademark disciplined, pick-you-apart offense coupled with stingy half-court man defense, which has held their opponents to just 62 ppg. Chris Wright provides the Hoyas with a dose of creativity at the point guard position, while Austin Freeman has simply been on fire, scoring 20.2 ppg this year. Missouri, on the other hand, looks to speed the tempo up with their vaunted pressure that, just a few seasons ago, almost landed them in the Final Four. Their rotation of ten players with at least 10 mpg so far this year ensures that all five players on the court are always fresh and ready to run at a breakneck tempo. All of the Tigers have played proficiently this year, but junior transfer power forward Ricardo Ratliffe (ironically from DC), junior power Laurence Bowers have been especially consistent on the interior while upperclassmen guards Marcus Denmon and Kim English have provided a scoring punch from the backcourt. The key to this game is likely to come in the turnover department. If Georgetown can win this battle, they have a chance. If not, the Tigers should prove too much to handle.

North Carolina Tar Heels (4-2) @ Illinois Fighting Illini (6-1), Big Ten/ACC Challenge, 9:30 p.m.: A senior-heavy starting Illinois lineup will give the Fighting Illini the much needed experience and toughness that many experts claim they have been lacking since Deron Williams and company left a few years ago. Demetri McCamey, learning from some of last year’s blunders, should bring a new sense of leadership to the table. McCamey has been the lifeblood of the Figting Illini for the past two seasons. When he plays well, they can compete with anyone in the country. Coming to his aid will be super sophomores DJ Richardson and Brandon Paul, plus senior forward Mike Davis. But, unlike a few other freshmen around the nation, Harrison Barnes has yet to have his coming out party. Considered by almost every media outlet to be the top freshmen in the country, Barnes is capable of breaking out at any minute. Throw improving big man John Henson and scoring-machine Reggie Bullock into the mix and you have a dangerous Tar Heel team. One major match-up that fans need to pay attention to lies in the hands of 7-1 Mike Tisdale. If Tisdale can control Tyler Zeller in the paint, the Illini’s battle to protect Assembly Hall just got a lot easier.

2. PurdueKey Players: Robbie Hummel, Lewis Jackson, JaJuan Johnson, E’Twaun MooreThe Skinny: Many think the Boilers were a torn ACL (Hummel’s) away from the Final Four last year. Now healthy, he, Johnson and Moore form a great core. And freshman Terone Johnson is tough.

3. Michigan StateKey Players: Keith Appling, Draymond Green, Kalin Lucas, Delvon RoeThe Skinny: Tom Izzo turned down the Cavs and might actually have a better team this year. Lucas is one of the nation’s best points, the frontcourt is stacked and the reinforcements top shelf.

5. Ohio StateKey Players: William Buford, Jon Diebler, David Lighty, Jared SullingerThe Skinny: No Evan Turner? No problem. OSU has enough talented returnees—and a top-five recruiting class—to make a run at the top of the Big Ten.

6. North CarolinaKey Players: Harrison Barnes, Larry Drew, Will Graves, Tyler ZellerThe Skinny: The long, national nightmare (OK, it was at least pretty scary in Chapel Hill) is over. UNC will not be in the NIT this season. The holdovers are good, but the rookies are better.

7. Kansas StateKey Players: Curtis Kelly, Jacob Pullen, Jamar Samuels, Dominique SuttonThe Skinny: Is there anything more fun than watching KSU coach Frank Martin stalk the sidelines, prowling, ready for a fight? His Wildcats will attack the Big 12 again with Pullen and an unyielding intensity.

8. WashingtonKey Players: Justin Holiday, Venoy Overton, Terrence Ross, Isaiah ThomasThe Skinny: Since Pac-10 hoops isn’t what it used to be, U-Dub’s supremacy isn’t so impressive. But the Huskies play fast, fun ball and have one of the best perimeters around.

9. VillanovaKey Players: Corey Fisher, Antonio Pena, Corey Stokes, Maalik WaynsThe Skinny: Nobody does guards like Villanova, but the Wildcats actually have Pena and Mouphtaou Yarou up front, who could help lead Nova to another Final Four.

10. KansasKey Players: Marcus Morris, Brady Morningstar, Josh Selby, Tyshawn TaylorThe Skinny: You may not recognize many names on this talented Jayhawk outfit, but that might not be a bad thing, since last year’s big-name crew couldn’t get it done in March.

11. GonzagaKey Players: Steven Gray, Demetri Goodson, Elias Harris, Robert SacreThe Skinny: What does it say about Western hoops when the Zags could be the best around? Only that Mark Few has built a sturdy program that keeps rolling no matter who leaves.

12. BaylorKey Players: Quincy Acy, LaceDarius Dunn, Anthony Jones, Perry JonesThe Skinny: Dunn leads a group that’s ready to continue the Bears’ roll. And wait until you see Perry Jones, who could be the nation’s best big man as a frosh.

13. MissouriKey Players: Marcus Denmon, Kim English, Phil Pressey, Justin SaffordThe Skinny: Those Old Gold unis may be tough on the eyes, but the Tigers’ style of play is even harder on opponents. Rivals had better get ready for even more Hell from Missouri.

14. IllinoisKey Players: Mike Tisdale, Mike Davis, Demetri McCamey, DJ Richardson,The Skinny: Really, this is the year for the Illini. They won’t win the loaded Big Ten, but they finally have depth and experience to reach their potential.

16. FloridaKey Players: Kenny Boynton, Chandler Parsons, Alex Tyus, Erving WalkerThe Skinny: Five starters are back, and depth abounds. Focus on the whole, not the parts, and watch the Gators get back into the national picture.

17. KentuckyKey Players: Enes Kanter, Brandon Knight, DeAndre Liggins, Darius MillerThe Skinny: This group won’t produce five first-rounders, but don’t ever bet against John Calipari. The holdovers are solid, and if Kanter isn’t suspended for playing pro ball in Turkey, the crop of newcomers is top-shelf.

19. Brigham YoungKey Players: Brandon Davies, Chris Collinsworth, Jackson Emery, Jimmer FredetteThe Skinny: The Cougars get this spot because of Fredette, a scoring machine and a fun player to watch.

20. TempleKey Players: Lavoy Allen, Juan Fernandez, Rahlir Jefferson, Ramone MooreThe Skinny: Allen is a first-round talent, and Fernandez is on the verge of big things. Last year’s NCAA crash was disappointing, but the Owls should rebound well.

*****

WOMEN’S PREVIEW

by Clay Kallam

Look for long-time power Tennessee to reclaim the top spot in women’s hoops over the likes of Baylor, Duke and its nemesis, UConn.

1. TennesseeKey Players: Angie Bjorklund, Glory Johnson, Shekinna StricklenThe Skinny: The Vols are tall, talented and experienced yet still young enough to get better (just one senior). A proven 1 is all that’s missing, but remember, Tennessee went 32-3 last season without one.

2. BaylorKey Players: Brittney Griner, Melissa JonesThe Skinny: College players usually improve most between their freshman and sophomore years—so Griner should be even scarier. Add supporting talent (Jones, for one) and there’s a national power.

3. DukeKey Players: Karima Christmas, Jasmine ThomasThe Skinny: Toss some elite freshmen into an already loaded lineup, and what you should get is a trip to the Final Four.

4. Ohio StateKey Players: Jantel Lavender, Sammy PrahalisThe Skinny: This should be the year that the Buckeyes finally play well in the postseason, thanks to the passionate Prahalis and the imposing Lavender.

5. ConnecticutKey Players: Tiffany Hayes, Maya MooreThe Skinny: With Caroline Doty out for the season, the two-time defending champion Huskies have only two returning starters. The great Moore is one of them, but even she’s not enough to reprise 39-0.

6. StanfordKey Players: Kayla Pedersen Chiney Ogwumike, Nneka OgwumikeThe Skinny: Learn to say it: “Oh-gwu-mee-kay.”
Chiney and Nneka are the best sister act in the country, and Pedersen completes an elite front line. They will be tough come springtime.

8. XavierKey Players: Amber Harris, Ta’Shia PhillipsThe Skinny: Both Harris and Phillips will definitely be high picks in the next WNBA Draft, but point guard Special Jennings’ ballhandling will be important as well, so don’t ignore her.

9. North CarolinaKey Players: Jessica Breland, Cetera DeGraffenreid, Italee LucasThe Skinny: Breland is back, and the Tar Heels have a lot to go along with the 6-3 senior.

10. DaytonKey Players: Kristin Daugherty, Justine RatermanThe Skinny: Take a Flyer on Dayton, which returns four of five starters from a 25-8 team.

Phil Pressey may still have braces on his teeth and stand several inches below 6-feet, but this Missouri-bound, ultra quick PG will go over your head in a heartbeat. Lil’ fella dunks on future college teammate, 6-8 Tony Mitchell, at the TABC All-Star Game in San Antonio, TX. Check the vid, and see why Pressey’s drawing comparisons to Aaron Brooks of the Houston Rockets.